The present invention relates to a collapsible mounting type camera with a zoom lens in which a zoom lens barrel can be collapsed in the camera body when the camera is not in use.
In recent years, there have been marketed various kinds of compact cameras with zoom lenses of which the focal length can be continuously changeable. Such compact cameras are very convenient to take pictures of various subjects.
A zoom lens includes a lens barrel axially movable relative to the camera body to shift lenses of the zoom lens system. Conventional zooming mechanisms include inner and outer lens barrels, one secured to the camera body and the other rotatable about the axis of the zoom lens system to shift axially at least one lens of the zoom lens system in order to change the focal length of the zoom lens system. For the axial movement of the at least one lens, either one of the inner and outer lens barrels is formed with a straight guide groove parallel to the optical axis and the other with as many cam grooves as the lens groups of which the zoom lens system consists, these guide and cam grooves being all engaged by follower pins provided on a lens holder of each lens group. By rotating the one lens barrel relative to the other, the lens groups of the zoom lens system are controllably axially shifted by the cam grooves to change the focal length thereof.
Such a zoom lens system of the conventional compact cameras of the collapsible mount type is collapsed to its rearmost position, for example generally to a wide-angle photographic position, in the camera and is protected by a barrier incorporated in the camera when the camera is out of use. In general, the longer the lens barrel becomes at one extreme of its zooming range, the more difficult it becomes to collapse fully the lens barrel within the camera body.
In the above circumstances, the zoom lens barrel which projects partly from the camera body even in its rearmost position is relatively bulky and is inconvenient when carried in, for example, a handbag or briefcase. Moreover, when handling the uncovered camera, it is difficult to avoid striking the projecting part of the zoom lens barrel, damaging the same.